Elise Huhttp://wlrn.org
enCreepy or Comforting? South Korea Tracks Smartphones To Curb MERShttp://wlrn.org/post/creepy-or-comforting-south-korea-tracks-smartphones-curb-mers
More than 3,400 people are now under quarantine in South Korea's fight to contain an outbreak of the Middle East respiratory syndrome — a deadly virus that can cause severe pneumonia and organ failure.<p>So far, South Korea has <a href="http://www.mw.go.kr/front_new/index.jsp">reported</a> 122 MERS cases.<strong> </strong>And the government is actively tracking the whereabouts of people possibly exposed to the virus.<p>Chung-ahm is a Buddhist monk who's quarantined in the Jangduk village in southern South Korea.<p>We called him up because we couldn't visit him in person.Wed, 10 Jun 2015 23:34:00 +0000Elise Hu51428 at http://wlrn.orgCreepy or Comforting? South Korea Tracks Smartphones To Curb MERSSouth Korea's MERS Crisis Exposes Public Distrust Of Leadershttp://wlrn.org/post/south-koreas-mers-crisis-exposes-public-distrust-leaders
More than a thousand schools are shut down in South Korea, a response to rising <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/06/03/411728520/mers-in-s-korea-is-bad-news-but-its-not-yet-time-to-panic">fears over</a> MERS — Middle East respiratory syndrome. The virus has now infected 41 people, of whom four have died, since the South Korean outbreak began May 20th, and it's exposing widespread distrust among South Koreans that their leaders can adequately handle the crisis.<p>"Right now the fear is nationwide and we can't go anywhere.Fri, 05 Jun 2015 07:35:00 +0000Elise Hu51173 at http://wlrn.orgSouth Korea's MERS Crisis Exposes Public Distrust Of LeadersClasses Canceled, 1,300 Quarantined In S. Korea's Scramble To Stop MERShttp://wlrn.org/post/classes-canceled-1300-quarantined-s-koreas-scramble-stop-mers
More than 1,300 people in South Korea are under mandatory quarantine as health officials scramble to contain the largest outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, outside the Arabian Peninsula. So far, at least 30 people in South Korea have contracted the virus, which has no known vaccine or cure. Two of them have died since the outbreak began May 20.<p>Scientists are trying to figure out why a single imported case led to so many secondary infections.Wed, 03 Jun 2015 09:03:00 +0000Elise Hu51067 at http://wlrn.orgClasses Canceled, 1,300 Quarantined In S. Korea's Scramble To Stop MERSSouth Koreans Mask Up In The Face Of MERS Scarehttp://wlrn.org/post/south-koreans-mask-face-mers-scare
South Korea <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/05/30/410679540/south-korea-struggles-to-contain-deadly-mers-virus-spread">is contending</a> with the biggest Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, outbreak outside the Middle East.<p>Nearly 700 are in isolation to contain the outbreak. As of Tuesday, health officials have confirmed 25 cases of MERS in South Korea; among them, two people have died.Tue, 02 Jun 2015 20:53:00 +0000Elise Hu51056 at http://wlrn.orgSouth Koreans Mask Up In The Face Of MERS ScareSouth Korea Struggles To Contain Deadly MERS Virus' Spreadhttp://wlrn.org/post/south-korea-struggles-contain-deadly-mers-virus-spread
A deadly virus with no known cure — <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/05/14/310407444/mers-101-what-we-do-and-dont-know-about-the-virus">Middle East respiratory syndrome</a>, or MERS — has infected 13 people in South Korea since mid-May.Sat, 30 May 2015 10:44:00 +0000Elise Hu50917 at http://wlrn.orgSouth Korea Struggles To Contain Deadly MERS Virus' SpreadControversy Follows As Activists Cross North-South Korean Borderhttp://wlrn.org/post/controversy-follows-womens-group-it-crosses-inter-korean-border
The much-publicized peace walk across the inter-Korean border was really a bus ride.Sun, 24 May 2015 09:34:00 +0000Elise Hu50616 at http://wlrn.orgControversy Follows As Activists Cross North-South Korean BorderKorean Air 'Nut Rage' Executive Freed From Prisonhttp://wlrn.org/post/korean-air-nut-rage-executive-freed-jail
Former Korean Air executive Cho Hyun-ah, or Heather Cho, is out of prison after a four-month stay. If her name and alias don't ring a bell for you, the reason why she was jailed might.<p>She's the executive who wanted her macadamia nuts served on a plate and not in a bag, and was so outraged about the service on the airline for which she was vice president that she threw a tantrum when confronting the flight crew.Fri, 22 May 2015 08:01:00 +0000Elise Hu50531 at http://wlrn.orgKorean Air 'Nut Rage' Executive Freed From PrisonIn Seoul, Kerry Calls N. Korea Provocations 'Egregious,' 'Reckless'http://wlrn.org/post/seoul-kerry-calls-n-korea-provocations-egregious-reckless
Given the always-present tensions in this region, it's no surprise that U.S.Mon, 18 May 2015 07:47:00 +0000Elise Hu50291 at http://wlrn.orgIn Seoul, Kerry Calls N. Korea Provocations 'Egregious,' 'Reckless'She's Almost Real: The New Humanoid On Customer Service Duty In Tokyohttp://wlrn.org/post/shes-almost-real-new-humanoid-customer-service-duty-tokyo
<p>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izH08FB2mxU</p>Thu, 14 May 2015 20:56:00 +0000Elise Hu50158 at http://wlrn.orgShe's Almost Real: The New Humanoid On Customer Service Duty In TokyoSpy Agency: North Korea Executes Its Defense Chief With Anti-Aircraft Gunshttp://wlrn.org/post/spy-agency-north-korea-executes-its-defense-chief-anti-aircraft-guns
Just days after grabbing international attention for <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/09/world/asia/north-korea-says-it-test-fired-missile-from-submarine.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">reportedly testing a submarine-fired ballistic missile</a>, North Korea executed its defense chief on the order of dictator Kim Jong Un. That's according to South Korea's spy agency, which briefed Seoul's lawmakers on the development Wednesday.<p>The execution reportedly took place in public, with hundreds of onlookers watching as Hyon Yong Chol was killed by firing squad, using anti-aircraft guns.Wed, 13 May 2015 12:28:00 +0000Elise Hu50065 at http://wlrn.orgSpy Agency: North Korea Executes Its Defense Chief With Anti-Aircraft GunsThe First Place In East Asia To Welcome Same-Sex Marriage http://wlrn.org/post/first-place-east-asia-welcome-same-sex-marriage
Over Tokyo's Rainbow Pride Weekend in late April, Ren married her partner of four years, Yae, on stage before hundreds of Japanese strangers. They were proud to tie the knot and be part of a milestone in Japan and East Asia, a region where same-sex partnerships have never previously been recognized.<p>While same-sex marriage has become increasingly common in the U.S. and Western Europe, it's still rare in other parts of the world. There are signs of change in some parts of Asia. New Zealand legalized same-sex marriage in 2013 and Australia recognizes civil unions.Mon, 11 May 2015 18:21:00 +0000Elise Hu49961 at http://wlrn.orgThe First Place In East Asia To Welcome Same-Sex Marriage South Korea's Single Moms Struggle To Remove A Social Stigmahttp://wlrn.org/post/south-koreas-single-moms-struggle-remove-social-stigma
Monday marks a different kind of Mother's Day in South Korea. It's Single Mother's Day, an effort by civic groups to raise awareness of Korean society's unwed moms.<p>Despite Korea's rapid economic advancement, the country has yet to catch up to the notion of nontraditional families.Mon, 11 May 2015 08:16:00 +0000Elise Hu49932 at http://wlrn.orgSouth Korea's Single Moms Struggle To Remove A Social StigmaA Startup Scene That's Not So Hot: Japan's Entrepreneur Shortagehttp://wlrn.org/post/startup-scene-thats-not-so-hot-japans-entrepreneur-shortage
Toshiba. Sony. Sharp. You know those brand names because they dominated the Japanese economy's global rise in the '80s. But that was 30 years ago. As the Japanese economy stagnates, it's unclear which new companies will replace them.<p><a href="http://www.dogamakiura.net/">Doga Makiura</a> is Japanese, and a startup founder. But he's not a startup founder in Japan. He created businesses in other Asian countries instead.<p>Why not be an entrepreneur in his native country?<p>"Cause I think it's boring," he said. "There's a huge, bigger market in everywhere in the world.Thu, 07 May 2015 07:54:00 +0000Elise Hu49772 at http://wlrn.orgA Startup Scene That's Not So Hot: Japan's Entrepreneur ShortageNYU Student Detained In North Korea Was Hoping For 'Great Event'http://wlrn.org/post/nyu-student-detained-north-korea-was-hoping-great-event
New York University student Joo Won-moon, who's a South Korean citizen, says he's healthy and being treated well in North Korean custody, according to <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2015/05/05/bpr-ripley-nkorea-nyu-detained-interview.cnn">an interview he gave CNN</a> on Tuesday.<p>Joo, 21, acknowledged he crossed the border into North Korea illegally, out of hopes for a "great event" to help strengthen ties between diplomatic rivals North and South Korea.<p>"I thought some great event could happen and hopefully that event could have a good effect in the relationship between the NTue, 05 May 2015 10:12:00 +0000Elise Hu49661 at http://wlrn.orgNYU Student Detained In North Korea Was Hoping For 'Great Event'The Past Haunts The Present For Japan's Shinzo Abehttp://wlrn.org/post/past-haunts-present-japans-shinzo-abe
As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tours the U.S. this week, he has a state dinner at the White House and will be the first Japanese prime minister to address a joint meeting of Congress.Tue, 28 Apr 2015 07:51:00 +0000Elise Hu49278 at http://wlrn.orgThe Past Haunts The Present For Japan's Shinzo Abe